The use of cellular communications systems has increased substantially over the last decade. As the use of these systems has increased, so has the demand for additional features, such as text, chat, and multimedia messaging. Some of the features currently available on cellular communications systems are inefficient or non-intuitive, requiring a user to invest needless time and effort in either using or learning how to use a certain feature.
For example, while current technology allows users to obtain presence information over cellular communications systems, such as whether a specific device or user is available to communicate with another user, this technology is cumbersome and often requires a user to independently input information identifying the devices used by others for which presence information is sought. This independently inputted information is then uploaded from the user's device to another server typically called a Resource List Server, which then independently stores a list of users for whom presence information is sought. Independently subscribing to presence information for each potential communication partner through a user device and then relaying this information to another server is inefficient, both time and resource wise, and may be difficult for the user. The time consuming process of first learning how to input this information into a device, then actually inputting the information, and uploading it to a separate server, has impeded use of this feature. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for automating the implementation and use of presence information in cellular communications systems.
Furthermore, while current cellular technology allows users to send various types of messages, such as text, picture, and multimedia messages, in additional to traditional aural communications, current systems require an a priori selection of the transmission method of these communications, resulting in user confusion and inefficient use of system resources. For example, if a cellular communications system user wants to send a brief text message to another user, the user must identify the message as such before it is sent so that it can be sent via SMS (Short Messaging Service). On the other hand if a user wants to send a picture to another user, the user must identify the message as a multimedia message so that it can be sent via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), and so on. Placing the burden on the user to select the appropriate delivery method can cause confusion, especially with an inexperienced user of the technology, and results in inefficiencies if the user selects an inappropriate method, or if the user has to regularly or repeatedly switch different delivery services. Accordingly, these limitations have impaired use of these alternative types of communication. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for automating the selection of the delivery method of various types of communications transmitted over cellular communications systems, especially as the number of message delivery means keeps increasing over time. The automated selection of the delivery method of various types of communications can then be integrated with the system and method for automating the implementation and use of presence information to select the most efficient delivery method based in part on the current presence status of another user.